Facilitator must be part of the conversations

[Alan Stewart]

Dear All

Following on from Lisa's comments here is an exerpt from an interview with
Peter Sellars, the Amercican theatre director with whom I happen to have a
fine personal connection. Hence my 'noticing' Peter's statement in the 
context of
this thread initiated and pursued by Doug.

Which may go some way to providing illumination for your searching, Doug :-)

The full interview can be seen at
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/questionofgod/voices/sellars.html



Interviewer: You've said that opera has always been about the gods. What 
exactly did you
mean by that?

PETER SELLARS: Well ... human beings need permission, and usually that's
metaphor, to recognize that there are many layers of reality moving at any
given moment, and that every small gesture has very large consequences. So
opera is this amazing form, which takes a gesture, and understands it
through music, poetry, dance, visual art, all at the same time.

"The artist's work is to lift people out of their usual sense of their own
cosmos into a higher vision of what's going on up there."

A whole galaxy is in place around these four actions. You thought you were
just writing a letter to someone, but in fact, there was a whole symphony
orchestra playing. In fact there was a chorus singing. In fact, it's like a
bigger deal. Opera constantly gives you that perspective shift; that glimpse
of spiritual activity inside of the simplest and quietest moments ...

Go well

With love

Alan



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Lisa Heft" <lisaheft at openingspace.net>
To: <OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
Sent: Wednesday, August 01, 2007 4:21 AM
Subject: Re: Facilitator must be part of the conversations


> Hello, all, and thanks for this conversation --
>
> Personally, it is very important for me to be aware of the inherent power
> dynamic I carry with me.  Whether I see myself as this or not, others can
> often see me (the facilitator) as the expert, the person who knows so
> much, the person who has wide experience in the field.  Again - whether it
> is true or not.  And culturally, some in the group may feel that the
> teacher (or whomever) is to be respected.  And / or that s/he may have
> extra words of wisdom.  And so on.
>
> Also, for me, it is very important that if the group is working on some
> issue I really need to be involved with - that I find a colleague to
> facilitate instead of me.  That I make a decision to either be a
> participant or a facilitator / space-holder for the group.
>
> To me, that is serving the group.  To be a clean and clear holder of space
> so that they can do their best work.
>
> Might I have some content information that can help them?  Sometimes.  But
> I can always tell them that after the meeting.  Am I interested in what
> they're talking about?  Maybe passionately.  But I can always read their
> notes in the Book of Proceedings - I can even sneak around and pick up
> coffee cups a bit more often in their area.  Do I want to listen in on
> their conversations? Possibly.  Even when I am drawn closer to listen, I
> try to be aware of my body language - to stand to the side and not
> directly face the group, for example (because it can distract them) and
> then to be sure that I leave soon.  Why? Because it is their work, not
> mine.
>
> Even when someone calls me over to a group - for example it's about AIDS
> education and someone might say 'Lisa, can you tell us what you do when
> you teach this in prison?' or whatever -- I will come and answer their
> question, even (if they know me well) share thoughts for a minute - but I
> will make sure to then get up and leave before I find that the
> conversation is question and answer with Lisa.
>
> There are breaks, sometimes lunch - other times in which folks may find me
> for some conversation - and to me that is a bit different than their work
> in sessions.  Still, I am careful not to direct or recommend content,
> rather I am happy to engage in conversation.
>
> When the group knows me *really* well I do not carry any power dynamic
> with me - they don't care - don't see my input weighing any more than any
> one else's.  Still, I don't stay in group conversations.  I alight, if
> anything.  Because my role that day is to hold space for them.
>
> And I never post sessions when I am facilitating. If I have something I
> want them to talk about - to me, this would be my attachment to where they
> go and what they talk about - and that, to me, is an indication I should
> have brought in someone else in the facilitator role so I can jump on in
> as a participant.
>
> Some of you do things differently and I welcome that - this is just
> explaining what my inner thinking is for why I do or do not engage as a
> participant.
>
> And I don't feel it is witholding my fullest self - I feel it is offering
> my fullest self...in service to them, to their work.
>
> Just another thought from someone who may do this as you do or not do this
> as you do, dear readers,
>
> Lisa
>
> lisaheft at openingspace.net
> http://www.openingspace.net
>
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